Situation:

After the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson in July 1863, the Mississippi River was
controlled by the Union. President Lincoln and his staff decided that the
next objectives in the Trans-Mississippi area should be the capture of Texas
and the Confederate Trans-Mississippi headquarters at Shreveport, LA.
The Red River was selected as the best approach to Texas. A combined
army-navy advance was planned with an army of 35,000 troops led by General N. P. Banks and naval support under
the command of Flag Officer D. D. Porter.

The Union command
believed that a successful Red River
campaign would accomplish the following goals:

Confiscation of cotton for mills in New England

Destruction of Confederate supply plants

Prevent a French-Mexican army from joining forces with the Confederates

Prevent supplies from Texas reaching Confederate troops

Provide protection for Union loyalists in Texas
and facilitate Texas rejoining the Union

The Union army and navy
had progressed with little opposition on their route along the Red River to
Alexandria and Natchitoches. In early April 1864, the army veered away from
Red River at Natchitoches and proceeded toward Shreveport via Mansfield.
This move left the army without naval support.

Commanders:

Union: Maj. Gen.
Nathaniel P. Banks

Confederate:
Maj.
Gen. Richard Taylor

Principal Forces:

Union:Banks’ Red River
Expeditionary Force

Confederate:
District of West
Louisiana (two divisions)

Description:

Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P.
Banks' Red River Expedition had advanced about 150 miles up Red
River.

Maj. Gen. Richard
Taylor, without any instructions from his commander,
Gen. E. Kirby Smith, decided that it
was time to try and stem this Union drive. He established a defensive
position just below Mansfield, near Sabine Cross-Roads, an important
communications center.

On April 8, Banks’
men approached, driving Confederate cavalry before them. For the rest of the
morning, the Federals probed the Rebel lines.

In late afternoon,
Taylor, though outnumbered, decided to attack. His men made a
determined assault on both flanks, rolling up one and then another of Banks’ divisions.

Finally, about three miles from the original
contact, a third Union division met Taylor’s attack at 6:00 pm and halted it after more than an hour's fighting.

That night, Taylor
unsuccessfully attempted to turn Banks’
right flank. Banks withdrew but met Taylor again on the 9th at Pleasant
Hill.

Mansfield was the decisive battle of the Red River
Campaign, influencing Banks to retreat back
toward Alexandria.